Storm Chasers sneak past rival

The Omaha Storm Chasers snapped their four-game losing streak to the Iowa Cubs on Friday night, defeating their I-80 rival, 4-3, in front of 8,130 fans at Werner Park. Left-hander Will Smith kept the I-Cubs off balance in his seven innings on the mound as he yielded just one run and punched out six, en route to his fourth win of the season.

Both offenses were stagnant until the third inning when Omaha (57-36) put the game’s first run on the board when Irving Falu reached base on a fielder’s choice. With Johnny Giavotella batting, he then swiped second base and came home on an RBI single by Giavotella.

Iowa (39-54) plated a run in the fourth to tie the game but the Chasers answered right back in the bottom of the fourth when David Lough tripled and then scored on a base-knock by Anthony Seratelli. The home team secured a 4-1 lead after scoring two in the seventh on an RBI double that was hit to center field by Clint Robinson. The hit scored Falu who reached on an error and Wil Myers who was intentionally walked.

Vin Mazzaro was summoned from the bullpen to work the eighth inning and did so rather effectively as he held the I-Cubs off of the scoreboard. He returned to the hill in the ninth and gave up two runs to Iowa to bring the visiting squad within one at 4-3 but was able to get the last batter to fly out to Lough to end the threat and the game. The save was the first in Mazzaro’s professional baseball career.

Omaha and Iowa will play game three of their four-game series, on Saturday at Werner Park; with the first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m.